Two Guanacos, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile Dec 9, 2024

Featured in today"s image are guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. They are a fascinating camelid native to South America, and they"re the wild cousin of the llama! Unlike llamas, guanacos sport a more uniform coat colour, usually a warm light brown to dark cinnamon, with a white underside, a grey face and small, straight ears. They can live up to 28 years in the wild, making them some of the longest-living land mammals of their size in South America. Guanacos are one of the continent"s largest land animals today, sharing their megafauna status with South American giants like tapirs, marsh deer and jaguars. Guanacos munch on grasses, shrubs and even cacti, using a fascinating digestive process like, but distinct from, ruminants.

© Floris van Breugel/NPL/Minden Pictures

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